Former Texas National Guard Convicted Smuggling Migrants Rio Grande Valley

In the Southern District of Texas, multiple human smuggling cases have led to arrests and convictions, including a disturbing operation involving toddlers sedated with melatonin gummies to facilitate their illegal entry from Mexico. Vanessa Valadez and several co-conspirators were sentenced for their roles in smuggling unaccompanied children under five years old from Nuevo Laredo into the U.S., with some smuggled children still unaccounted for. Separately, Mario Sandoval, a former Texas National Guard member deployed on Operation Lone Star, was found guilty of conspiring to smuggle illegal aliens after he began smuggling migrants post-deployment in July 2024. Evidence in Sandoval’s trial included text messages coordinating smuggling trips and surveillance footage showing him at immigration checkpoints while alerting smugglers about law enforcement presence. Authorities condemned Sandoval's actions as a betrayal of his oath and the mission, highlighting the danger posed to fellow guardsmen. Sandoval faces up to 10 years in prison with sentencing scheduled for October 22, 2024, as part of the broader Operation Take Back America initiative aimed at dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations.